My Review Plus Reviews From Other Readers

Climbing the Stairs is a beautifully written and never bores. Venkatraman really made sure that every word she wrote down was meaningful and thoughtful. She created the character, Vidya, to be a likable girl and a true heroin. As an Indian myself, I can say that all the cultural aspects are true to heart, and Venkatraman doesn't only show the wonder of the Indian culture, but also its faults. Any reader who is interested in growing up stories as well as stories based on other cultures, will definetly enjoy this book. Thousands of people also praise this book, and here are some reviews from just a few readers:

"…Venkatraman makes a memorable debut with this lushly evoked novel set in India during World War II…More than a feisty Cinderella story …this novel vivifies a unique era and culture as it movingly expresses how love and hope can blossom even under the most dismal of circumstances…"
- Starred review, Publishers Weekly

"…Opening with the festival of Krishna Jayanthi, Venkatraman so skillfully weaves Hindu words, traditions, and religious festivals into her story that readers understand the vocabulary and appreciate the beliefs… Vidya achieves the psychological distance to ponder cultural and religious similarities and differences by way of her philosophically minded appa and her Jewish best friend… With a delightfully strong female protagonist who struggles between tradition and the values she holds dear, this novel will capture the imaginations of many readers…"
- Cynthia Winfield, VOYA, 5 Q 4P S

"British-occupied India during World War II is the setting for this impressive debut novel.... Thought-provoking and deeply moving."
- Booksense, Notable

"…A welcome addition to the small but growing body of historical fiction about growing up female in India… This novel excels in its detailed depiction of a Brahmin girlhood and family life during a time of intense social and political change…"
- Kirkus

"Climbing the Stairs…is a passionate story…In the novel, books serve as a saving grace… The central theme of the novel, violence and nonviolence, will appeal to an international audience…"
- Michelle Reale, India Currents

"…Young Adult novels are difficult to review for several reasons…the genre “Young Adult literature” is in itself a tricky label because it assumes that the book will be predominant read by just one particular narrow cultural subset… Thankfully, Padma Venkatraman has put a few of these issues to rest, or at least rendered them temporarily irrelevant… one of the most successful aspects of the novel is…open-ended…allows her thematic questions to resonate more fully and widely… Venkatraman should encounter success, I suspect, since her first foray into fiction is an enjoyable addition to the genre – whichever genre you choose to put it into, that is."
- Evan P. Schneider, Newport Mercury

"…remarkable in terms of the layout, themes and the main character Vidya…cleverly woven the story through several South Indian festivals...The style only looks simple, but it is deceptively simple – it is a lot of hard work…”
- Anatharangan Sundaresan, Translator and Tamil Literary Critic

"Climbing the Stairs is a wonderful, well written, and thought provoking book that navigates the historical and political context of India during WWII, commenting and using it as a backdrop without letting it overwhelm the story. There are so many threads beautifully woven together.”
- Kelly Easton, Award-winning author of Hiroshima Dreams and other novels

"… With the war going on in Iraq, I know that many families will find it easy to relate to the character of Kitta…" - Jane, Educator

"This is my pick for next year's Newbery Awards. A beautifully written coming-of-age story about a girl growing up in India during World War II. Vidya loves to read and looks forward to going to college someday. When her father is injured, Vidya and her family must move into Grandfather's traditional Hindu household, where Vidya is forbidden even to climb the stairs to Grandfather's library…"
- Joanne Fritz, Virtual Bookshelf

reviews gotten from:

http://www.climbingthestairsbook.com/BookReviews.pdf